Metamorphosis
by claw06
Summary: Summary: Tony Stark is not who he appears to be. Years ago his heart was shattered by his one true love and to preserve the shards he hid behind a seemingly impenetrable mask. Unfortunately, King Odin assigns him a task that will require the mask to fall and force him to reveal his true self to the world.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary: Tony Stark is not who he appears to be. Years ago his heart was shattered by his one true love and to preserve the shards he hid behind a seemingly impenetrable mask. Unfortunately, King Odin assigns him a task that will require that mask to fall and force him to reveal his true self to the world.**

**Pairing: Rhodey/Tony ( past and present)**

**Warnings: Supernatural, De-aging, maternal!Tony, past abuse**

**Rhodey frowned deeply as he entered his and Tony's shared apartment for what was probably the last time, heart pounding a heavy staccato in his chest. He had finally come to a decision, one that he knew he would regret forever...he was breaking up with Tony.**

** As if summoned by his thoughts his beautiful genius rushed over to greet him from his own position in the kitchen, giving him a large happy grin. "Rhodey, love, what's wrong?" The smaller man asked worriedly his smile falling as he took in his boyfriend's somber expression. **

**The newly enlisted airman looked away unable to face him with what he was about to do. "Tony...we can't do this anymore." Confusion filled the vixen's eyes. **

**" Do what, babe? James, what's wrong? " Rhodey's heart picked up it's tempo the words nearly catching in his throat, yet miraculously he managed to say them. " Tony, I can't- we can't be together anymore. I'm sorry."**

**Tears welled in his beloved's cyan orbs, the small effeminate man shaking his head rapidly in denial. **

**) _):;+==!&_"")(_#&$#+**

**" No,Rhodey please." His voice broke. Too many people had abandoned him throughout his life and it hurt to realize that James was joining that very large list. Tony didn't know what to do.**

**" Please! Don't leave! Whatever it is we can work on it! We can fix it! Please don't...don't leave me." He begged trailing off with quiet sob and continued pleas of 'please don't leave me, please!' He'd been alone for so long and now that he had experienced the warmth of love, of compassion he didn't wish to go back to the loneliness, especially not when he had been on the verge of delivering the best news of his life. Why was James doing this to him?**

**=_/_/()/+/_/):+**

**It broke James' heart to see his wonderfully strong lover break this way and the worst part is that it was all his fault. He turned away heart wrought heavy with guilt. "I'll go pack." **

**"No don't... you can keep the flat. I'll leave." Tony whispered brokenly his sobs calming even as tears continued to stream down his cheeks. Rhodey shook his head. "No you paid for this place, it's yours Tony." His comment went ignored and wet baby blues gazed up at him heartbroken. **

**" Will you at least tell me why? Why after over three years you're leaving?" The elder looked away, but Tony didn't let his gaze waver. He didn't care who kept their home he just wanted answers. Why now? Why when he had finally gotten used to the idea that the other wouldn't leave? When he finally had hope and happiness. **

**" I just- I think it would be better if we went back to being friends. This- what we have between us will never be accepted. I'm sorry, Tony." Nodding the petite brunette turned to go pack, briefly placing a hand to his abdomen. "I'm sorry too, James. We can be friends again...eventually, but for now give me some time. This is too much right now." This said Tony left the room, fleeing the apartment an hour later without a word to his former lover. **

**Once in his limo the genius forced most of the emotion from his face , promising he'd never cry again. Instead he'd become the man the media tried to make him out to be. He'd build walls around his heart, walls only his dear unborn would be allowed behind. Gone was Tony, the shy pregnant submissive and in place was Tony stark genius, playboy, billionaire, philanthropist and from then on that was all there was.**

**Tbc...**

**A/N: So I went back and edited a few mistakes I found in here. Please let me know if you find any I've missed.**


	2. Giovanni Stark

Being alone and pregnant was hell for Tony.

From morning sickness to cravings to increased libido and deepening depression, it was absolute torture...but it was worth it and he knew without a doubt that he'd do it all again if he had to. All for his healthy baby boy, Giovanni Alessio Stark.

Giovanni was a gorgeous baby boy with his mother's pretty cyan eyes and dark Italian curls, and a lighter shade of his father's deep caramel skin and Tony loved him with every fiber of his being. He was a very happy baby and it was very rare for him to cry. The only time he seemed to get really upset was when Tony slipped into one of his darker moods so when that happened Tony tried to hide as best he could. His son was his world and did everything he could to keep him happy and safe. Due to this, no one other than the doctor that delivered him knew of Giovanni's existence and it stayed that way.

When Giovanni reached the appropriate age to start school, Tony hired him a private tutor and put them under an airtight contract. Not even Pepper and Obie knew about his precious baby. He was Tony's most guarded secret.

Raising Giovanni there was only one big issue between the mother and son duo; Giovanni absolutely hated his father.

Nothing Tony said could sway the boy's opinion of the other man. When asked about why he hated his father Giovanni's reply while simple was both heartwarming and painful; "He hurt you."

No one had to know that Tony cried the night he said this.

...

There was no one in the world fifteen year-old Giovanni Stark hated more than he hated Colonel James Rhodes, especially at times like this. Growing up he was used to his mother's dark moods, despite the man's attempts to hide them from him, and he knew that although his mother would never tell him such it was all because of that man. What's even worse was when his mom tried to deny it, tried to make it seem like it was his own fault but it wasn't. It really wasn't. Giovanni couldn't pretend not to notice how after Tony had allowed Rhodes back in his life nearly six years after his birth, the dark moods became more frequent and harder for his mother to hide. This being said, he felt he was justified in the fact that he was currently protesting his mother travelling to an international hotspot with the man, especially when he spotted the familiar shadows in the older man's eyes.

"It's not safe!" He yelled at his mom who winced and rubbed his temples to ward off a migraine.

" Giovanni, I can't put this off. I already told Pepper I'd do it."

"Mom, it's not safe! Especially with you hovering on the edge of one of your moods! Why can't Rhodes go by himself? Isn't that his Job?"

Tony sighed.

"Giovanni, please. Not tonight. I just wanted to spend some time with you before I left. I know you don't like Rhodey but he'll protect me while I'm there. Just trust me. I'll be fine."

Giovanni scowled but allowed the argument to drop, knowing his mom was exhausted. However, in his heart he couldn't help but feel that something was gonna go wrong...

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Tony Stark Missing, suspected dead

Giovanni's heart stopped dead in his chest as he read the headline on top of the morning paper.

His mother...his beautiful, quirky, larger than life mother was...missing and suspected dead. He whimpered softly as he scanned the paper, his fear and anguish building with each word.

His mother's convoy had been attacked while returning from the weapons expo and during the clean up it had discovered that his mother had been near a missile that had detonated. After the smoke cleared there had been no sign of the billionaire, barring a small puddle of blood.

Memories flashed through his mind and he let out a wail of pure anguish. A raw wounded sound, and collapsed to the ground sobbing.

"Please," He rasped. "Please, god don't take my mom from me. He's all I have left."

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Three months. Three long months full of anguish and hoping that his mom would be found. He hoped and hoped, forcing himself to go about his day as normal, meeting with his tutor, tuning up his "siblings" DUM-E, YU, and butterfingers and crying himself to sleep. He avoided his mother's lab at all times, unable to stand being there and know there was a possibility that the older man would never return to it. It wasn't until only days before his birthday that he received the news:

Stark Found Alive

It was the first time in months that the tears he cried were of pure relief.

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Life after his mother returned home was...different...quieter and more chaotic.

The submissive was quieter and more eccentric often drifting of in the midst of his sentence. He avoided any body of water bigger than a glass of water, barring showers which he deemed okay as long as the water didn't hit his face directly. He also became clingier, often cuddling the teen and preening him, and his nightmares got worse.

To be honest Giovanni didn't truly mind. He was just grateful that his mother was back. However he did mind that his mother also spent more time around Colonel Rhodes. Any time he returned from his tutor's house it was always to be told by JARVIS that his mother was out with Colonel Rhodes, especially after the whole diabolical with Obadiah that nearly resulted in his mother's death. Other than this small problem, everything was actually going pretty well. So well in fact, that it wasn't until four months after his mother admitted to the world that he was Iron man that Giovanni actually realized something was terribly wrong with his mother.

Giovanni frowned and he entered his mother's room to find the bed empty and the door to the conjoined bathroom open, the sound of retching coming from inside.

"Mom? Are you alright?!" He whispered as the elder Stark leaned tiredly against the toilet, panting brokenly.

"W-What are you doing out of b-bed, piccolo.?"The man rasped softly, ignoring his question, slender frame shaking and covered in a light sheen of sweat.

Despite himself, the teen scowled at his mom. "That's what you're worried about. Mom, are you okay?"

""m fine, Vanni. Go back to bed. You have a big test tomorrow."

Glaring defiantly the sixteen year old proceeded to ignore his mother's orders instead helping the older man wash his mouth out and change into a fresh shirt. Then he carefully helped him into bed and slid in beside him, curling into the other's warm frame.

"You know I love you right, Vanni?"

"Of course, momma. I love you too."

His mother smiled down at him but his eyes were solemn.

"I'll love you forever, baby boy. No matter what."

Giovanni stiffened, something in his mom's voice sparking fear in his chest. "M-mom? What's going on? Why're you talking like that?"

Tony sighed softly and closed his eyes as if he were in pain. "I-I'm dying."

After learning about the palladium poisoning his mother, he shut down. He clung to his mother as much as he was able to without and when the SHIELD intervened and saved his mother...

well no one has to know that they held each other tight as they cried that night...

**TBC**

**A/N: Next up the Avengers movie. And Giovanni goes off to college**.


End file.
